Cádiz Carnival

Carnival In Cadiz

Cadiz has the biggest carnival in mainland Spain. Some say it rivals the carnival in Rio De Janeiro in terms of processions, floats, fireworks and partying. For sheer excess and exuberance you can´t beat a trip to Cadiz at carnival time!

History

The origins
of the carnival go back to the 16th century when Cadiz was a trading
partner of Venice. In its early incarnation the carnival had a definite Italian
influence. The carnival continued in the 17th to 20th
century, only suspended during the Spanish civil war and the early years of
Franco.

Now it is
internationally renowned and a tourist attraction which runs for two weeks
every February.

Theme

The
Carnival’s main characteristic is humour. Through sarcasm, mockery and irony,
the main groups and the people of the street ”purge” the most
pressing problems of today. While some carnivals elsewhere in the world stress
the spectacular, the glamorous, or the scandalous in costumes, Cádiz is about how
clever and imaginative its carnival attire is. It is traditional to paint the
face as a substitute for a mask.

The whole
city participates in the carnival and the presence of the fiesta is almost
constant in the city because of the recitals and contests held throughout the
year.

Saturday day
and night is the biggest street party. The tradition is that everyone wears a
costume, which is often related to the most polemical aspects of the news. Saturday
is the day that the Carnival Queen is crowned. Sunday is the day of the main
parade with floats and processions through the street. Singing and dancing
takes place all over the city and at night there are fireworks. The best place
to view the spectacle is La Caleta.

Participants

The Carnival
of Cádiz is most famous for its performers. Their music and wit are the centre
of the carnival.

The comparsas are witty and satiric groups that train for the whole year to sing about politics, topics in the news, and everyday circumstances, while all of the members wear identical costumes. Their songs are all original compositions and are full of satire and wit. Each comparsa – whether a professional group or one made up of family members, friends or colleagues – has a wide repertoire of songs. They sing in the streets and squares, at improvised venues like outdoor staircases and in established open-air tablaos (tableaux) organized by the carnival clubs.

The chirigotas
are the groups of people (like the comparsas) that sharing a costume and
singing together, perform songs about current topics but a more humorous than
the comparsas.

The choirs
(coros) are larger groups that travel through the streets on open
flat-bed carts or wagons, singing, with a small ensemble of instruments
(often guitars). Their characteristic composition is the ”Carnival
Tango”, and they alternate between comical and serious subjects. Their
costumes are the most elaborate of all the performers.

Other groups
can be found in the streets: the comedy quartets (cuartetos) who
play guitars and use sticks to mark the rhythm. They use set-piece scenes,
improvisations, and music.

The
minimalist carnival groups in Cádiz are the romanceros, perhaps the
oldest, carnival representation in Cádiz throughout history. A romancero
is a single costumed person who brings a big easel on which posters help them tell
a story with images. The romancero recites humorous verses while
pointing at aspects of the pictures and drawings with a long stick.

Finally, illegales
are the amateur singers who do not enter the official competitions.

Competition

The best-known
contest among chirigotas, choirs, comparsas, and quartets in
Cádiz is the ’Official Contest’ at the Gran Teatro Falla, that
finishes just before the first Saturday of Carnival. It is broadcast by the
regional television and radio stations.